Winners
(4)

The winner in each category will be recognized by CPSC during an announcement/award ceremony in August or September 2014. The winning applications in each category will be featured on CPSC’s website and on CPSC social media platforms.

CPSC will award $1,000 to one winner in each of the four categories described below. Winners will also be invited to meet the CPSC’s Chairman.

Winners shall be responsible for any applicable federal, state, or local taxes. CPSC may pay prize money directly. In such a case, the winner(s) will provide CPSC with sufficient information to support payment transactions in accordance with CPSC fiscal policy and the issuance of Internal Revenue Service Form 1099.

Winners may not transfer, assign, or substitute their prize.

CPSC challenges developers to create applications and innovative tools that raise awareness of consumer safety reports submitted to CPSC and of recalls of consumer products.

A key goal of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is to empower consumers with safety information about consumer products. CPSC is challenging developers to create applications and innovative tools that raise awareness of consumer safety reports submitted to CPSC through its website, SaferProducts.gov, and of recalls of consumer products.

Eligibility

(1) citizens or permanent residents of the United States who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry (or teams of eligible individuals); and

(2) private entities, such as corporations or other organizations, that are incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States.

Individuals submitting on behalf of corporations, nonprofits, or groups of individuals (such as an academic class or other team) must meet the eligibility requirements for individual contestants. An individual may join more than one team, corporation, or nonprofit organization. Individuals must create an account on the challengepost.com website by supplying your name and e-mail address. CPSC employees are not eligible, nor are other federal entities or federal employees acting within the scope of their employment. Contest is void where prohibited.

Requirements

Contestants are asked to develop apps that raise awareness of consumer product safety information in the following categories:

Best Mashup with Online Auction Sites: This category will combine CPSC data with information available on online auction sites.

Best Mashup with Online Product Reviews: This category will combine CPSC data with any product review information available on the Internet.

Best Mashup with Search Tools: This category will combine CPSC data with search results from search engines, searchable classified ads, or any other search tools.

Most Innovative: This category will use CPSC data to educate consumers creatively about product safety information.

Submissions can be existing applications or applications developed specifically for this Contest. The applications should not require the purchase of additional products to be fully operational.

How to enter

Contestants must enter their submissions via the “Post a Submission” tab on CPSC’s website for this challenge at productsafetyapps.challengepost.com. Submissions may be any kind of software tool, be it for the Web, a personal computer, a mobile handheld device, a tablet, a console, or any platform broadly accessible to the open Internet.

A submission may be disqualified if it does not function as expressed in the description or if the submission does not comply with the contest entry criteria (e.g., use of at least one CPSC dataset).

All submissions must be posted to productsafetyapps.challengepost.com by May 23, 2014, to be considered for judging.

Contestants must register with productsafetyapps.challengepost.com in order to submit an entry.

Once a submission is entered, a contestant cannot make any changes or alterations to the submission until the judging is complete. The approximate date by which the judging will be complete is July 31, 2014.

By submitting an entry to the Contest, the contestant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules. This is a skill-based contest, and chance plays no part in the determination of winners.

Judges

Judging Criteria

Usefulness
Ability to empower users to engage with, and act on, consumer product safety information on an ongoing basis. The best apps will provide this safety information, tailored to the needs of the user.

Innovativeness
Each entry will be rated for the degree of creativity the entry brings to applications focused on consumer product safety. Innovative approaches to reaching large numbers of consumers will score highest. Bonus points will be given for entries that add a

Usability
User-friendly and interactive capabilities will be awarded the highest marks. Entries should be applicable and attractive to people who are not necessarily “high tech.” Additional consideration will be given for usability by people in diverse populations

Potential Reach and Impact
The top tools will prove that they can engage a large number of consumers on a regular basis and will engage consumers in a way that encourages consumers to act upon the consumer product safety information.